Hibs welcome Aberdeen to Easter Road for the second time this season, knowing a win would keep the pressure on Rangers.

The Dons will be hoping to extend their lead over the Ibrox side for at least 24 hours, with the Gers playing Hamilton on Sunday, as well as making it three wins out of three against Hibs.

Scott Allan will make his second home debut for Hibs. Picture: SNS Group

Admitting his side were “well beaten” in December’s 4-1 loss at Pittodrie, Neil Lennon told the Evening News that his players could look to put things right.

He said: “We played well against them here and there wasn’t much in the game, just one real moment of quality. But the game at Pittodrie, I wouldn’t say it was a lesson, but we were well beaten.

“The context of the game is we want to close the gap on third and second place and I think that’s the butt of what we are talking about rather than what has gone on previously.”

Lennon has been boosted by the return to fitness of Paul Hanlon and Darren McGregor after the central defensive pair were forced to miss the 2-1 win over Rangers at Ibrox.

However, he is without Brandon Barker, who is nursing a hamstring injury, and long-term injured trio Ross Laidlaw, Steven Whittaker and David Gray.

Derek McInnes will have to shuffle his pack with Graeme Shinnie suspended, and so on-loan Rotherham United man Dominic Ball could line up against Hibs in place of the Dons skipper.

Freddie Woodman, who joined the club on deadline day as cover for the injured Joe Lewis, will start in goal, but Mikey Devlin, who signed from Hamilton in January, is still sidelined with a knee injury.

Hibs did beat Aberdeen at Easter Road in the League Cup in September 2015, and secured a 1-0 win over the Dons in the Scottish Cup back in 2013, but the Easter Road side’s last league victory over Aberdeen at home came in October 2009, when goals from Colin Nish and - poignantly - Liam Miller handed Hibs a 2-0 win over nine-man Aberdeen, who had Maurice Ross and Chris Maguire sent off.

Hibs will pay tribute to Miller, who died last week after being diagnosed with cancer last year, with a minute’s applause, with both teams wearing black armbands.